WEBVTT
SUSAN: AS PART OF MARK
COMMITMENT 2016 ELECTION
COVERAGE, WGAL IS COVERING ALL
THE RACES THAT IMPACT THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY FROM THE
PRESENCE OF CONTEST TO THE STATE
AND LOCAL RACES.
IT IS OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING
YOU A MORE INFORMED VOTER COULD
.
I'M JOINED NOW BY THE CANDIDATES
FOR THE 96 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
IT COVERS PARTS OF LANCASTER AND
MANHEIM TOWNSHIP.
THE CANDIDATE'S ARE FROM LEFT TO
RIGHT -- ROBERT BIGLEY
, AND
DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT MIKE STURLA.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
THE SENATE JUST APPROVED A BILL
DESIGNED TO ALLOW AND MAKE IT
EASIER FOR GUN ORGANIZATION LIKE
THE NRA AND GUN OWNERS TO ASSUME
HIS OF HOW THESE OVER GUN
ORDINANCES, SOMETHING THAT HAS
HAPPENED IN LANCASTER.
HOW WILL YOU VOTE IF AND WHEN
THAT COMES UP IN THE HOUSE?
MIKE I WILL BE A NO VOTE.
THE BILL THAT PASSED IN THE
HOUSE ORIGINALLY WAS FOUND
UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THE SUPER
COUR -- SUPREME COURT ON A
TECHNICALITY.
THEY DID NOT GO TO WHAT I
BELIEVE WAS THE MEAT OF THE
ISSUE AND THAT THIS LEGISLATION
GIVE STANDING TO ORGANIZATIONS
OUTSIDE THE STATE THAT I BELIEVE
HAVE NO BUSINESS ENSUING
MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE STATE.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THAT IF I
GO VISIT SOMEONE IN IDAHO AND
JOINED THE SPARTANS CLUB IN
IDAHO AND FEEL AGGRIEVED BY THE
FACT THAT MY LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
IN PENNSYLVANIA AS AN ORDINANCE
THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO REPORT
STOLEN GUNS, THE IDAHO SPORTSMEN
CLUB CAN SE
UE MINING
MUNICIPALITY.
THEY CAN BE TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS OR HATE
ORGANIZATIONS AS LONG AS
SOMEBODY IS A MEMBER OF THAT
ORGANIZATION ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT THINK THAT MEETS ANY
CONSTITUTIONAL MUSTER.
SUSAN: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
THAT?
ROBERT: THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT IS
RIGHT.
IT IS NOT GOOD FOR US TO HAVE A
PATCHWORK OF LAWS SO IF I GO TO
A DIFFERENT TOWNSHIP I DO NOT
KNOW WHAT LAWS ARE GOING TO BE
AFFECTING ME.
AT THE SAME TIME, I DO NOT LIKE
THE METHOD.
I DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF US --
IN FACT, I THINK IT'S TRUE THAT
IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE A LAW THAT
IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STATE LAW.
THAT CONFLICTS WITH THE STATE
LAW.
I DO NOT LIKE THAT WE WILL
DEPEND ON OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS
TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS FOR US.
I'M NOT CURRENTLY IN THE
LEGISLATURE, BUT I WOULD WANT TO
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT IT TO MAKE
SURE IT'S FAIR FOR EVERYONE.
SUSAN: YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU
WOULD VOTE?
ROBERT: I DO NOT KNOW HOW I
WOULD VOTE AT THIS POINT.
I DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON
IT.
WE DEPEND ON THE ACLU SOMETIMES
TO DEFEND PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY
DISAGREE WITH THE MUNICIPALITY,
BUT AT THIS POINT, I WOULD HAVE
TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT.
SUSAN: LET'S TALK PENSION
REFORM.
MIKE, YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE FOR 26 YEARS.
WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT
PENSION REFORM.
HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN?
MIKE: THE SAD PART IS THAT THE
PENSION REFORM THAT HAS BEEN
TALKED ABOUT IS NOT THE KIND OF
PENSION REFORM WE NEED.
IN 2010, WE DID ACT 120.
THE PEOPLE UNDER THAT PENSION
SYSTEM SINCE 2010 ARE COSTING
THE STATE ABOUT 4% OF PAYROLL.
IF YOU ASK ANY BUSINESS, THEY
WILL TELL YOU IF I CAN GET A
PENSION SYSTEM FOR MY EMPLOYEES
AT 4% OF PAYROLL, THEY WILL TAKE
IT.
WE DID THAT PART OF PENSION
REFORM.
WHAT WE DID NOT DO IS ADDRESS
THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY FROM THE
PAST ONE STATE AND SCHOOL
DISTRICT WERE TOLD DO NOT BOTHER
PAYING INTO THAT THIS YEAR.
THAT IS HOW WE WILL BALANCE THE
BUDGET THIS YEAR.
WE JUST WON'T FUND THE PENSION.
WE HAVE BUILT UP A $50 BILLION
LIABILITY.
SUSAN: HOW DO WE GO FORWARD?
MIKE WE COULD ELIMINATE
PENSIONS TOMORROW FOR EVERYONE
MOVING FORWARD AND WE WOULD
STILL HAVE A 50-60,000,000,000
DOLLAR LIABILITY.
TAKING SOMETHING AWAY FROM
FUTURE EMPLOYEES DOESN'T REALLY
SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
WE NEED A DEDICATED FUNDING
SOURCE FOR THAT $50 BILLION-$60
MILLION.
I PROPOSE LEGISLATION THAT SAYS
WE MUST
AND POST SOMETHIN THAT
HAS WIDESPREAD APPEAL AND
SUPPORT AMONG REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE STATE AND
DEDICATE THE DOLLARS FROM THAT
SALE TAX TO PAY OFF THE
UNFUNDED LIABILITY FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AND THE STATE, BUT
SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FIRST.
THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM
BUT SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE FACING
RIGHT NOW AND TAKE THE DOLLARS
THAT THEY ARE SPENDING FOR THAT
OLD UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY
AND PUT INTO THE CLASSROOMS
TODAY.
SUSAN: THE SALES TAX
HAS NOT
BEEN ABLE TO PASS IN
PENNSYLVANIA, BUT HOW DO YOU
THINK WE NEED TO SOLVE THE
PENSION REFORM PROBLEM?
ROBERT: THE PENSION THAT WE HAVE
INHERITED AND MIKE ALLUDED TO
SOME DECISIONS MADE A DECADE AGO
THAT IS WHY WE ARE IN THE
SITUATION WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AN ANTIQUATED
IDEA THAT
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GUARANTEED
PENSION.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T
EVEN DO IT ANYMORE.
WHEN I TAUGHT FOR THE STATE
SYSTEM OUT IN WASHINGTON, I WAS
PART OF THE STATE SYSTEM.
AS A COLLEGE PROFESSOR, I DID
NOT HAVE A GUARANTEED PENSION.
WE HAD A 401(K) STYLE SITUATION.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO
GO.
YOU KEEP HEARING THAT WE NEED TO
STOP THE BLEEDING.
WE NEED TO DO THAT WHETHER THAT
IS A STACKED HYBRID OR A 401(K)
STYLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
WITH NEW HIRES, WE ARE GOT TO DO
THAT.
MIKE IS RIGHT.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FUND
THIS HUGE BILL THAT IS COMING
THROUGH IN THE FUTURE AND NOW
WHETHER IT IS TAXING MARCELLUS
SHALE OR WHATEVER IT IS.
WE NEED TO FUND THAT.
SUSAN: JUST QUICKLY SINCE WE ARE
RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT THE
OPIOID CRISIS IS CERTAINLY TOP
OF MIND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
PENNSYLVANIA.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
LEGISLATURE IN TERMS OF THIS
CRISIS?
MIKE: THIS IS AS MUCH OF A
CULTURAL ISSUE AS IT IS
ANYTHING.
MY STEPSISTER RIGHT NOW IS
DEALING WITH THIS.
I WAS TALKING WITH MY STEPMOTHER
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
WHEN IT COMES TO ANY SORT OF
ADDICTION, IT'S A CULTURAL
ISSUE.
WE HAVE TO GET DOWN TO THE ROOT
OF THE ISSUE, WHICH IS PEOPLE
JUST CAN'T START.
ONCE THEY START, IT'S REALLY
DIFFICULT TO GET THEM OFF.
SUSAN: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE
LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO DO?
MIKE: FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD LAWS
IN PLACE BETTER GOING TO KEEP
PEOPLE FROM ABUSING THE OPIOIDS
THAT ARE PRESCRIBED.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
DOCTORS AND PHARMACIES ARE IN
LINE WITH WHAT IS GOOD PRACTICE.
THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIGHT NOW
ADDICTED HAVE ACCESS TO THE
TREATMENT THEY NEED.
WE NEED TO STOP THROWING PEOPLE
IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE
ADDICTED TO DRUGS.
SUSAN: THE PRESEN
REPRESENTATIVE?
MIKE: WE HELD MULTIPLE
BIPARTISAN HEARINGS BOTH ON THE
DEMOCRATIC AM A PUBLIC INSIDE
AROUND THE STATE ABOUT THIS
EPIDEMIC.
AS WAS POINTED OUT, THERE IS
IMMEDIATE STUFF WE CAN DO.
WHEN YOU GO TO AN EMERGENCY
ROOM, YOU DON'T GET PRESCRIPTION
FROM 30 OR 90 DAYS FOR OPIOIDS.
80% OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE
CURRENTLY ABUSING HEROIN FIRST
OF USED PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS.
THE REALITY IS
WE HAD A
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY THAT
PROMOTED THESE AS BEING
WONDERFUL THINGS FOR EVERYONE.
IN FACT, THEY ACTUALLY GOT SOME
OF THE PARAMETERS BY WHICH
DOCTORS EVALUATE PATIENTS.
ONE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT THEY
GOT PUT IN PLACE OF YEARS BACK
WAS THAT PAIN WAS A PARAMETER.
THE INTERNET HAPPENED AND EVERY
DOCTOR WAS GETTING EVALUATED ON
HOW GOOD THEY WERE.
PART OF THE EVALUATION WAS --
WERE YOU IN PAIN?
I'M NOT EVEN A DOCTOR AND I CAN
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS NOT
IN PAIN IF I JUST PUMP THEM UP
WITH OPIOIDS.
DOCTORS WERE LITERALLY JUST
HANDING THEM OUT LIKE CANDY.
THAT HAS LED TO PART OF THE
CRISIS WE HAVE.
THE OTHER PART IS GETTING
TREATMENT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE CURRENTLY ADDICTED.
RIGHT NOW, STANDARD TREATMENT
FOR A PERSON IS SEVEN DAYS OF
DETOX AND 28 DAYS TREATMENT.
SUSAN: NOT ENOUGH.
MIKE:. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
THE DRUG COURT SAY IT IS ABOUT
18 MONTHS.
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE AND
CONTROL SAYS IT'S AT LEAST 90
DAYS.
THE GOLD STANDARD FOR TREATMENT
IS FOR PHYSICIANS THEMSELVES AND
FOR AIRLINE PILOTS.
THAT TREATMENT PROGRAM IS FIVE
YEARS.
SUSAN: THANK YOU.
WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT
THAT PROBABLY ALL DAY LONG.
WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US
AND BEST OF LUCK ON ELECTION
DAY.
REMEMBER ELECTION DAY IS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8.
KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ELECTION
NEWS ON WGAL.COM.